The present invention relates to a connector, and in particular to an electrical connector of the type in which a terminal received in a housing body is retained by insertion of a spacer having a withdrawal-prevention abutment portion.
FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of a conventional connector 31 disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open (Kokai) Patent Application No. 54678/89, and FIG. 8 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the connector in its assembled condition. A similar construction may be found in commonly-assigned U.S. Pat. No. 4,867,712.
Referring to these Figures, communication holes 35 communicated with terminal receiving chambers 34 are formed through an upper wall 33 of a housing body 32 made of a synthetic resin. A spacer 38 of a synthetic resin having withdrawal prevention projections 37 for a female terminal 36 is inserted into the communication holes 35. Flexible retaining pieces 39, provided within the housing body 32, are disposed in respective terminal receiving chambers 34. When a female terminal 36 is inserted into one of the terminal receiving chambers 34, the flexible retaining piece 39 is engaged in a notch 40 in the female terminal 36, so as to retain the female terminal 36.
Mold release holes 42 are formed in an end wall 41 of the housing body 32 and serve as insertion holes for inserting a jig bar (not shown) so as to release the flexible retaining pieces 39 from the mold to allow the housing body to be removed from the mold. Mating terminal insertion holes 43 also are formed in the end wall 41, each of the mold release holes 42 being continuous with a respective one of the mating terminal insertion holes 43. Provisional retaining pawls 44 and complete retaining pawls 45 which act on the housing body 32 are formed on the spacer 38. When the spacer 38 is pushed from the position shown in FIG. 8, the withdrawal prevention projection 37 is engaged with a projected portion 46 of-the female terminal 36, thereby preventing rearward withdrawal of the female terminal 36.
However, in the above terminal retaining connector 31, since the mold release hole 42 for the flexible retaining piece 39 and the mating terminal insertion hole 43 are continuous with each other, a distal end 47 of the female terminal 36 is exposed to an opening 48, as shown in FIG. 9. When a mating male terminal 49 is to be inserted, the distal ends 47 and 50 of the terminals 36 and 49 often collide with each other. As a result, insertion is not carried out smoothly, and in some cases the terminals 36 and 49 are damaged.